Tormod Skaaraas - JOURNEY OF THE VICE CHAMPION
- expertcigar
- Nov 21
- 4 min read
It was obvious that there are elite smokers in Norway and that the Norwegian flag may soon be at the top of the slow-smoking world
CSWC is a very difficult competition that many people are aware of. Yes, it's incredibly exciting and fun, but it's also a real sport with all the components you need to put in, if you want to be among the best and have the opportunity to challenge the best ones. In order to be a flawless slow smoking master with skills that will lead you to victory - training sessions, searching for new methods, tactics, and strategies during the intense competition where every second counts - are essential.
That beautiful and special Oliva competition cigar is requesting a tremendous amount of patience and concentration from you in order to grant you more time and seconds, which will ultimately lead to victory. Every year, about 2500 people from nearly 51 countries attempt the same thing; some are more serious, some are more laid back, but there is no doubt that every competitor has at least a small spark of desire to win or, at the very least, achieve a good outcome. Additionally, there is a sense of pride in one's country, as all competitors take great pride in placing their flag at the top of the list of times and competitors.
One flag, the Norwegian flag, has been flying proudly at the top of that list for the past few years. One of the first nations to introduce the excitement of the CSWC to their cigar community was Norway leaded by Oystain Kleven and legendary Augusto Shop in oslo. They acknowledged CSWC as a fantastic platform for promoting Norwey cigar culture internationally. For many years, it was the site of some of the greatest races and battles.
So, It was also one of Darren Chioffi (legendary world champion from USA) favorite locations to set world records, including victories by Igor Kovacic, also known as the Swedish Tiger. However, the national team focused more on the matter and made the decision to leave their mark on the CSWCs history. Two names stood out with startling surprises that CSWC did not encounter frequently: Tormod Skaaraas and Rolf Broch.
These competitors stunned the CSWC community three years ago when they began the qualification season with results that very few people in the world could achieve—strongly above three hours. It was so surprising that many people wondered how this was possible and whether it was a lucky punch or simply a matter in Cigars, but they continue to prove that it is all about them and their skills. Tormod performed amazingly in the grand final that year (top 10 best results), but he and Rolf again achieved an incredible time of more than three hours in the qualifier the following year.
And it was unbelievable, especially with Tormod's style of smoking, which was so distinctive and different from some of the stereotypical techniques used by some of the best smokers. Unfortunately, Torn did not place in the top of the Grand Final 2024, but part of that result was due to his bigger-than-life cracker, which always brought him on the day before the Grand Final, late at night, with lots of cheering and dancing on the dance floor. Rolf and Toormods new cigar Oliva produced again great results in 2025, and they attracted more attention when they made it to the grand final.
As the grand final race got underway, Tormod was more focused than ever before on the grand final, and he was dancing with his Oliva competition cigar incredibly. He defeated all of the major favorites, including Hauke Walter, the famous defending world champion, but Polish slow smoking giant Tomasz Zolodkiewich was too good that night and he defeated him in a matter of minutes. It was an incredible night - one of the best Grand Finals ever, which shows that some new stars are rising. The Norwegian duo is warming up, and their time is yet to come.
